South Africa inspired by Amla ton

South Africa gained a small measure of revenge for their World Cup heartbreak against New Zealand with a 20-run victory in the first one-day international in Centurion.

Opener Hashim Amla returned to form for the home side, scoring 124 in their 304-7 after being asked to bat before a meritorious Black Caps chase ended with their dismissal for 284 with 11 balls to spare.

It was the first ODI between the teams since New Zealand won a thrilling World Cup semi-final off the penultimate ball in Auckland in March.

A Black Caps team featuring only four players from that game threatened a similarly tight finish for much of their pursuit on Wednesday, most notably when Jimmy Neesham (41) and Colin Munro (33) put on 71 off 65 balls after coming together at 158-5.

Opener Tom Latham had earlier scored 60 and captain Kane Williamson 47, putting on 104 for the second wicket after promoted opener Luke Ronchi departed in the first over. He was caught behind off Dale Steyn, one of four Proteas bowlers to claim two wickets.

Some late fireworks from Adam Milne (15 not out) and Mitchell McClenaghan (16) didn't last long enough as New Zealand lost the opening game in the three-match series which moves to Potchefstroom on Sunday.

The Black Caps made no changes from the team that won the second Twenty20 international at the same Supersport Park venue on Sunday to square the series.

Pacemen Milne (2-51) and McClenaghan (2-72) again had their moments on an unhelpful surface while spinners Nathan McCullum and Ish Sodhi bowled tidily but went wicketless.

Amla and Rilee Rossouw (89) shared a second-wicket stand of 185, with the prolific opener ending a lean trot in which he had failed to past 50 in his previous seven innings.

He struck 13 fours and three sixes to join Herschelle Gibbs for the most South African ODI tons with 21.

Both offered chances. Amla was dropped on 74 by a diving Latham at cover while Milne spilled a chance on the midwicket boundary when Rossouw had 32.

Guptill fell awkwardly in trying to catch David Miller in the deep in the 48th over and left the field clutching his left wrist.

The regular opener dropped to No.4 for the run chase and scored 25.

A day before the match, a South African run-down of each Black Caps batsmen's batting strengths and weaknesses came to light. The printed plans were intended for pace bowler Dale Steyn but were instead slipped under the door of a hotel guest, who posted it on social media.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson swatted aside the relevance of the plans, which South African officials have admitted were genuine.

"It's largely insignificant to be honest with you," he said.

"Everyone's got plans. Often a good area to most batsmen is similar, if the ball's doing a little bit.

"They adapt and change their plans all the time, and so do we. You know what you see on paper is never the end plan."

The world class Williamson was identified as having a weakness on the pull shot.

He said that analysis never entered his thinking at the crease, on his way to 47.

"It would have been nice if we could have used it to our advantage today but it didn't work out that way," he laughed.